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 Review of Jack Rabbit @ Seabreeze Amusement Park
0 Rating Posted by: Canobie Coaster on 12/23/2010 6:34:00 PM
Every coaster enthusiast knows what the oldest, currently-operating, wooden roller coaster in America is without any hesitation- Lakemont’s Leap the Dips. However, not all coaster enthusiasts are able to name the second oldest. What would be the answer? Look no further than Seabreeze’s classic and beloved Jack Rabbit. Certainly the 90 year old coaster is the park’s star attraction, as it has been there for several generations of park-goers. However, how does this antique attraction stack up to modern-day marvels? Quite well in fact.

Nestled in the eastern half of Seabreeze, the Jack Rabbit looks sensation despite its age. Sporting a beautiful, snow white paint scheme, the Jack Rabbit is clearly well maintained. Not only does the track look great, but the ride possesses an incredible classic station complete with a massive sign for the ride, which is a great touch. Additionally, while I know many enthusiasts are often less than enthused by Morgan trains, I personally love them. Not only do I think they are comfortable to ride in thanks to their bucket seats and simply lap bar restraint, but the trains themselves look great. The sleek red paint scheme really stands out and breaths new life into this classic attraction. Finally, the ride still employs skid brakes. Having never seen skid brakes in action before on a roller coaster, I was ecstatic to see them in action.

Being the park’s most popular attraction, one would expect long lines, especially since I visited on a Saturday. Much to my amazement, even with one train operations, I only waited 3 cycles at most for the Jack Rabbit. Ultimately, I got on in about 5-10 minutes for all of my rides, which is definitely worth it. Also, Seabreeze allows for riders to choose their seat, which is a definite plus. Personally, I found that all seats gave an almost identical ride, but the front was my favorite simply because of the view.

From the park, only the ride’s 75ft tall lift hill and tunnel can be seen, so almost all of the layout is completely hidden from view, which is a definite plus since it adds to the thrill in my opinion. After cresting the lift hill, I was treated to a delightful out-and-back coaster. The first drop provided a nice pop of air. Following that are two large hills that give small pops of air as well. Then comes the turnaround hill. While it may look small and innocent, this hill provides a nasty moment of ejector air that is augmented by the lack of seatbelts.

While the second half may lack the intensity of the first half, it is still very enjoyable in its own way. The Jack Rabbit’s second half begins with a rare double down. Despite not being taken at high speeds, this rare element is still really cool to experience. Following that are a few bunny hills through the woods. Unfortunately, no air is present due to the rather slow speeds that they are taken at; however, the sense of speed is still rather strong since there are trees all around. Next, there is a small helix that provides some laterals due to the lack of banking. Then comes both the finale and my favorite part of the ride- the tunnel. Coasting into the tunnel at relatively slow speeds, I was expecting to casually return to the station and hit the brakes. But boy to my amazement did the Jack Rabbit have one final trick up its sleeves. In the complete darkness of the tunnel was a drop. While not colossal by any means, it is definitely not miniscule in size. Despite lacking any air, the sheer surprise of the drop made it my favorite moment of the ride. Following that drop, the Jack Rabbit then returned to the station.

Don’t be fooled by its age, the Jack Rabbit is still a very enjoyable attraction. While it wasn’t my favorite attraction at Seabreeze (I enjoyed both Whirlwind and the Log Flume more), it was still one of my favorites. Additionally, it was one of the better wooden roller coasters that I have been on thanks to the perfect mixture of air-time, laterals, and quirkiness. Not only that, but the entire ride is glass smooth, which is a true testament to how well Seabreeze maintains this classic attraction. No visit to Seabreeze would be complete without a ride on the classic Jack Rabbit.

Times Ridden: 4
Favorite Seat: Front Row (1:1)
Best Part: Tunnel
 
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